The Flemish coast is a paradise for food lovers. If you are a connoisseur of the North Sea shrimp and all the other delicacies that the North Sea has to offer, then this is your heaven. Pure! went on a foodie bike tour along the coast to discover its greatness. The chefs we met talked with passion about the origins of the pure ingredients they get to work with every day.
We were inspired by our visit to an organic goats farm, and our encounter with the special ‘West Vlaams Rood Rund’ herd of cows. We also met Karin van Acker, a woman with an encyclopaedic knowledge of beer, which, unfortunately, is still kind of an anomaly in the beer universe.
Would you like to see some pictures? Check out the sets of Pure! Belgium on Flickr.
In Ostend, I found hotspots where you can also eat tasty vegetarian foods. Sometimes you can choose organic vegetables from the Ostend vegetable garden. We look for great places to have a shot of espresso, a specialty coffee, and a good glass of wine on a rooftop terrace. If you are staying in this city on the coast, choose a place with a view of the sea and beach. Read more »
During my last visit to the Flemish coast it was a good time to see the shrimp fishermen. They only fish when it’s low tide. So they have to plan their fishing dates and time. The fishermen use draft horses, mostly Brabantian or Ardennes breed. These peaceful and strong animals weigh about 1,000 kilograms and are perfect for the hard work of shrimp fishing. Read more »
A wonderful tour along Pure! hotspots in Ostend was on my program last weekend. It was a great example of the delicious food which can be tasted during the food festival A L’Ostendaise, which starts tomorrow! A L’Ostendaise is a culinary event to promote sustainable fisheries, the chefs and restaurants in Ostend. Read more »
I was immediately excited to visit restaurant Le homard et la moule in Bredene when I saw the picture of chef Donald Deschagt. His story about using seaweed and his own picked flowers and plants is fascinating. When the weather permits you can find Donald enjoying his own foodie tour when foraging in the dunes of Bredene. He enjoys being near the sea every day. Read more »
It’s hard to guess the number of cheeses that are sold in the shop. Christophe Haspeslagh’s guess is about 250 and he is the owner of this cheese and delicatessen shop in Oostende! The shop dates back to 1931 when his grandparents owned a general food store. There’s a variety of Belgian and organic cheeses, made of cow, goat or sheep milk. The demand for goats cheese has been growing rapidly the last few years. Read more »
Karin van Acker can give you every detail of the 150 beers she serves in beer cafe Den Toogoloog in Middelkerke. All the beers are produced at small Belgian breweries. I started with the Saison Dry Hopping. The beer has a tiny bitter flavour, which makes it very suitable as an aperitive beer. Read more »
Chef Stijn Bauwens used to work for three Michelin star restaurant De Karmeliet in Bruges. He is now one of the ambassadors of the North Sea Chefs, a group of chefs who promote the use of sustainably caught fish and the inevitable by-catch. The twelve North Sea Chefs learn from each other through the exchange of their best recipes. Read more »
In my opinion the best way to enjoy meat is to eat less, but of better quality. It’s not necessary to eat meat every day, so if you only eat meat once or twice a week (or even less) you pay the same amount of money for much better quality meat. The money you spend pays for the better quality of life for the animals, a better taste and health benefits for yourself. Read more »
Chef Jean and his son Christophe welcome you at their small and cozy restaurant, Finess in Oostende. They have ten dishes, so there is no hassle what to choose. On the night we all chose the same delicious food: Flemish asparagus for starters and for main plaice served with leek and parsnip, and a lovely lemon thyme sauce. Read more »
Reigershof in Klemskerke (near De Haan) is an organic goats farm. They sell homemade cheese at the farm shop, the market in Oostende and at organic deli shops. They also sell ice cream which is produced by a local ice maker using the Reigershofs’ own goats milk. At the farm you can also enjoy goats cheese tastings and farm tours. It is the owners’ aim to spread the positive story of organic farming. Read more »
